Children's Room at the WFPL

Review (and keep!) a free book

2012-02-14T16:24:00.003-05:00

You could be one of the very first people to read some brand new books! And then you can keep the book as part of your home library!

Occasionally, publishers send free books to our library either before they're available for purchase or when they've just come out. We'd love to involve YOU in reviewing these books!

Here's how:

- Stop in at the Children's Department and pick up a book.

- Take it home and read it.

- Write up a quick review about what you liked or didn't like.

- Give us the review.

- Enjoy your free book!

You can either write out your review on paper and bring it in, or you can e-mail it to us. If you'd like to e-mail your review, ask for one of the Children's Librarians' e-mails when you pick up the book.

The number of books is limited, and once they're gone, they're gone. So stop in soon if you're interested!

Book a Librarian!

2012-02-08T13:30:00.003-05:00

Have you got a question that seems just a little too in-depth or complicated to pop into the library and ask? Maybe you just got your child a new e-reader and you want to find out how to use our free e-books. Or maybe your child has a big research project for school and you'd like some guidance on how to get started.

Ordinarily, the library is bustling with children and families and we librarian's can't spend as much time as we'd like on these types of questions.

But never fear! You can book a librarian! Stop in or call us in advance with what you need help with, and we can set up a special meeting with you where we can focus some additional time on your question.

We'll specifically be available at 4:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month (you'll still need to register in advance, though). But if that time doesn't work for you, it's no problem! We can book a time with you that works with your schedule!

Stop in at the library or call 617-972-6435 for more information or to register.

Great Books for Grown-Ups

2012-01-30T18:26:00.013-05:00

In addition to all the great books we have for little ones, the Children's Department has a great collection of parenting books and other resources for grown-ups!

Our Parenting Collection is located on a white bookshelf in the play area of the Children's Department. This contains nonfiction books about a wide variety of topics that parents are often interested in. These are by no means all of our parenting books - there are even more in the adult nonfiction section - but these are easily located near where you and your children play.

Also in our play area, you'll find our Parent Teacher collection. These are picture books that facilitate parent/child discussion focusing on various issues like emotions, death, new babies, and learning to go potty. These books can be incredibly helpful if you and your family are going through any big change.

We also have a small reference section behind the reference desk. Many of these books must remain here in the library, but some can be checked out. A lot of the books in this section are especially useful for teachers and include lesson plan ideas, but they're also full of activities that would be fun for parents and families.

That's a lot to chose from! To get you started, here are some of my personal favorites:

The Bilingual Edge by Kendall King
Kendall King has done mounds of research into bilingualism and raising children in two languages. She focuses on the amazing advantages that children have who can speak multiple languages from a young age. For families for whom this could be a possibility, this book is an excellent guide - and just an interesting read!

A Family of Readers by Roger Sutton and Martha V. Parravano
The Horn Book Magazine is a well-known publication that reviews children's literature. The editors of that magazine have put together this wonderful book about how to help your children become life-long readers and how to enjoy reading together as a family. They've also included lists of great books for children of various ages.

Reading Magic by Mem Fox
I've saved my absolute favorite for last. Mem Fox has spent a majority of her career researching early literacy and the effects of reading with young children. While this book came out a little while ago, the information in it is still incredibly helpful. It includes developmental information about how your child is actually learning, along with loads of tips about how you can help this development along. This is the book I buy as a gift for every friend and relative who has a new baby.

Happy Reading!!

Thank you for your support at our first Library Mini Golf!

2012-01-23T19:16:00.005-05:00

Our first ever Library Mini-Golf was a great success! 155 people attended and explored the golf course that was set up throughout the entire library. While waiting for their turn to golf, participants enjoyed games, crafts, face painting, and a raffle drawing!

Thank you to the Library Building Committee, who sponsored the event and provided prizes and entertainment. And thank you to everyone - every family, person, business, and organization - who sponsored a hole. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make things run smoothly.

And we'd like to send out a special thank you to everyone who attended! You made this event a smashing success - shall we say, a hole in one?!

Support the library, play mini golf!

2012-01-10T16:06:00.000-05:00

The time is getting near for WFPL mini golf.

On Friday, January 20 at 7 p.m. the library is going to transform into a two-floor 18 hole mini golf course. There will be golf clubs, golf balls, holes, scorecards etc. There will also be popcorn, prizes, face painting, the chance to hang out with your favorite librarians on a Friday evening. And of course, there is guaranteed fun.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children.

This fundraiser event is sponsored by the Watertown Free Public Library Building Committee. The Library Building Committee provides funding for services the library would not otherwise provide in the regular budget. In the coming months the children's department alone has three big programs planned--Nappy's Puppets in February, New England Aquarium's Traveling Tidepool in March and Barn Babies in April-- all funded by the the Library Building Committee. Attending library mini golf will allow us to offer programs like this in the future.

Can't make it but want to contribute? Consider sponsoring a hole. A $50 donation gets you sponsorship of one of the 18 holes. You can make a contribution here or send a check payable to the Watertown Free Public Library Building Committee: Watertown Free Public Library
c/o Library Building Committee
123 Main St.
Watertown, MA 02472

We hope to see you on January 20. Tell your friends!

More than meets the eye...

2012-01-05T15:03:00.008-05:00

You might recognize this as one of the toys in our play area. But did you know it's for much more than just entertainment? Of course it's entertaining as well, but it's also helping young children develop skills that will help them when they start school.

For example, pushing the beads around their wire paths helps little ones learn about cause and effect. While this understanding feels innate to us adults, little ones are still learning this very important concept.

You can also help your child learn directional vocabulary. This activity provides a perfect opportunity to talk with them about what "up," "down," and "across" mean.

One side of the block has street signs that children can manipulate. Street signs are an excellent way to begin teaching young children about symbolism. When they're ready to learn how to read, children will eventually need to understand how a symbol is a picture, shape, or image that stands for something else. Letters are essentially symbols for sounds, and written words are symbols for what they mean.

Talk with your child while they're playing with these street signs. Talking about how "this picture means this" will help them understand that a picture or symbol can mean something. You can even extend this activity and point out street signs when you're walking or driving. This will help kids understand that print and symbolism are everywhere!

The key to all of this is engaging with your child. Your little one will learn so much more if you play together than if he or she plays with a toy alone. Take these opportunities to develop these early literacy skills whenever you can!

Watertown Free Public Library Book Award

2011-12-27T17:25:00.005-05:00

Award season is upon us! December brings many “Best of ____ 2011” lists and awards. Children’s books are no exception. In January, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) announces the Newbery and Caldecott awards. That committee is charged with the daunting task of determining the best books for children all over the country. While they do a fantastic job, we are a little more interested in what’s popular in our own community.

So speak up! Tell us what books you enjoyed reading in 2011, and a little bit about why you enjoyed it so much. We are looking for nominations in three categories: fiction, nonfiction, and picture books. Nominated books must be original pieces, and any artwork or illustrations must be original to the work. This means that most television or movie tie-in books are excluded. Nominations should be books that were published in 2011, which you can figure out by looking on the copyright page or on the library spine label. Questions? Just ask! Children’s Librarians love to talk about books – especially books that our patrons enjoyed reading!

We’ve already picked some of our favorites, but remember this is about YOU! Please join us on Monday January 23 to review the nominations and cast your vote!

Current Nominations include:

Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships by Catherine Thimmesh.

Category: Nonfiction; Nominated by: Denise

Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman

Category: Picture Book; Nominated by: Emily

I Spy With My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs

Category: Picture Book; Nominated by: Caitlin

Easy Readers

2011-12-21T14:42:00.003-05:00

Congratulations! It is a very exciting time when your child begins to read.

Excitement aside, it can also be a frustrating time, both for you as a parent and your son or daughter. Reading has many components: recognizing letters, decoding the words, and understanding the text. It takes years to gain reading fluency, but you have to start somewhere! The Children’s Department is ready to help!

Where to start? Go back to basics; we have alphabet books aplenty! Sharing an alphabet book is a great way to review the letters and the sounds they make. Alphabet books are located in the Picture Book section because the text of the story can be very difficult for a new reader. In addition to alphabet books, we have an entire collection with hundreds of Easy Reader books! Easy Readers are short books that introduce new vocabulary with simple and complex sentences. Because our Easy Reader collection is so large, and because every child learns to read at his own pace, we have color coded our collection to help you streamline the process. Green stickers mark the easiest books; yellow stickers mark more difficult books, and red stickers mark challenging books. This color coded system should help you and your child select books that will be a good fit. Is this a broad generalization? Yes, of course. If you have time, always open each book and asses it. You know your child and his skills better than any colored label will.

It’s important to make your children feel comfortable reading at home. They need to practice and they need to know that reading with a parent is natural and enjoyable. To help your child, re-read the same book multiple times. The first time he can read the whole book. Then you can alternate reading paragraphs or pages. Read the book out loud together to model appropriate pacing and intonation. When your child can read an entire book cover to cover well, celebrate that by having them Skype a far away relative.

Reading should be a fun activity for you and your child to share. Learning to read can be difficult, but you can always ask for tips or find support at the WFPL. Caitlin, Denise and Emily are happy to take your questions.

What's the deal with Spanish Story Time?

2011-12-13T11:05:00.003-05:00

Here at the Watertown Free Public Library, we support bilingualism and multilingualism by offering Spanish Story Time each month. For Spanish-speaking families, it's an opportunity for children to work on literacy skills in a fun environment, just like all of our story times. For English-speaking families, it's a chance to expose children to the sounds of the Spanish language at a young age.

When babies are still very young, their brains are designed with the ability to learn any language. Tons of brain cells are devoted specifically to learning language. As they age, however, the brain rededicates unused language-learning cells toward learning other things. If children don't hear a language spoken from a young age, they lose the ability to distinguish new sounds in unfamiliar languages. On the other hand, if children hear and interact with a language starting when they're very young, even if that interaction is only occasional, it will be much easier for them to learn that language when they're older.

Scientists who study languages and brain develop have discovered that bilingualism has tons of other benefits. A couple of examples have recently been written about in the New York Times.

The Bilingual Advantage - May 2011
Ellen Bialystok, a cognitive neuroscientist, has found that bilingual people can multitask more successfully and may have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Hearing Bilingual - October 2011
Perri Klass writes about recent studies into how the brains of monolingual and bilingual babies deal with language.

Getting the Most from the Puppet Theatre

2011-11-28T18:59:00.004-05:00

One of the first things kids notice when they enter the play area is the puppet theatre. Castle, really. It serves as a cozy place to read and an adventurous place to play.

But did you know that it also helps your child develop his or her early literacy skills?

Understanding how a story works is an essential part of getting ready to read. Pre-readers need to know that a story has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and that things need to happen in order This ability is known as Narrative Skills and kids need to learn it before they can learn that sentences need to go in order, words need to go in order, and letters need to go in order to make sense.

The best ways for children to develop this skill are through hearing stories and telling stories. Our puppet theatre is a perfect tool to encourage your child to tell stories.

So what can you do to help your child learn even more? Ask your child to tell you a story with the puppets. Encourage him or her to add more details. Sequencing within the story matters - what happens first, second, and last? Ask lots of questions.

Your involvement will increase your child's enjoyment and learning!

Thanksgiving Closings

2011-11-23T13:30:00.003-05:00

The Watertown Free Public Library will close at 5:00 p.m. today and will be closed all day tomorrow in observance of Thanksgiving.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Play is more than just play...

2011-11-21T19:56:00.003-05:00

You probably already know about our play area here in the Children's Room. It's a wonderful place to hang out with other families, and the space provides a great opportunity for little ones to interact with each other.

But did you know that the activities in this area are about more than just entertainment? Each activity is also designed to help develop your child's early literacy skills!

Young children learn through play. Their education begins long before they enter school as they constantly gather skills and knowledge through every interaction with their family members, their friends, their toys, and their environment. Their brains are constantly making new connections as they look at things, touch objects, ask questions, and try things out.

When you spend time in our play area, remember that you can use this space to facilitate even more learning with your child. Identify shapes, colors, and the names of objects. Ask them questions. Get them to tell you stories. You'll be helping them learn the precursors to what they'll eventually expand upon in school. Playful interaction with you in a stimulating environment is the best way for your child to learn and grow!

Mini-golf? In the Library!?

2011-11-15T09:51:00.001-05:00

Yes! Mini-golf in the library! Friday, January 20 the library will be open after hours for a fundraiser. We're turning the library into an 18-hole mini-golf course. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children. More details to follow.

You are your child's first teacher

2011-10-06T14:17:00.003-04:00

Before your child goes to school or learns how to read, he or she needs all sorts of pre-reading skills. And who should teach these skills to your child? You!

Young children, beginning even before they're born, learn through interaction with you and the other loving adults in their lives. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

You can start reading to your baby as soon as they can hear (even in the womb!). Simply hearing written language being read aloud will make neurological connections in your child's brain.
Interaction while reading is more important than finishing a book or reading each word of a story. The best literacy skill a child can learn is that reading is fun!
Rhyming and singing with your baby will help him or her develop listening skills and language abilities. Rhymes and songs are great even before your baby can respond to you, and it's also an excellent way to bond!

Attending library story programs is also delightfully beneficial! Our programs are designed for specific age groups with developmentally appropriate activities. Stop in and pick up a calendar, call us at 617-972-6435, or check online to find out when we're having programs that are perfect for your child!

Museum of Science ROCKETS Program

2011-09-24T15:14:00.004-04:00

As part of our town-wide One Book One Watertown program, a representative from the Museum of Science taught school-aged kids all about rockets! He explained how rockets work and gave the kids plenty of opportunities for hands-on exploration.

The kids got to try out their understanding of the concepts they learned using balloons and air to make rockets fly!

This was one of the final programs in this year's One Book One Watertown program, celebrating the book Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam, Jr. There's still time to read the book everybody's talking about! Stop in and pick up a copy today!

Fall Story Times

2011-09-08T10:30:00.004-04:00

School has started, and so has our newest season of Story Times! We're offering more Story Times than ever, and we've tailored them more specifically to certain ages. So take a look at what we've got for your child's age group!

Babies - We've got special programming for newborns and infants who are not yet walking.
Nursery Rhyme Time: Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. Join us for nursery rhymes, stories, songs and fingerplays, perfect for your baby's early literacy development.

Toddlers - One and two-year-old's have their own special programs.
Toddler Story Time: Tuesday mornings at 10:15 a.m. This program is an abridged story time filled with stories, rhymes, singing and dancing. It's perfect for your wiggly little one.

Preschoolers - We have a variety of programs for kids ages 3-5.
Preschool Story Time: Friday mornings at 10:15 a.m. Stories, songs, and other activities that help your child get ready for reading and starting school.
Preschool Activity: Once a month we'll do a special activity with preschoolers, usually on a Friday morning instead of a regular Preschool Story Time.

Other Fun!
Arsenal Mall Story Times: The first Thursday of each month we hold Story Time in the mall! Join us at 11:30 a.m. in the food court for all your favorite Story Time activities in a new place!
Family Story Time: Once a month we'll do a special Story Time for children of all ages, focusing on early literacy skills. This will also be an excellent program for parents to pick up some tips and ideas to use at home.
Music Programs: Throughout each month we'll do a variety of music programs, usually for ages 5 and under.
Spanish Story Time: Bilingual stories, songs, rhymes and fun in both Spanish and English for children of all ages.

And that's not all! Check our online calendar, pick up a schedule, or give us a call at 617-972-6435 to find out what else is going on.

Guessing Jar Winner!

2011-08-22T16:51:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Elizabeth, our latest Guessing Jar winner! She guessed the correct number of Good and Fruity and won a Frisbee!

The guessing jar is done for the summer, but we're still waiting to hear back from our final winner. So check back soon to find out who guessed the closest number of red Smarties, a delicious European chocolate candy!

Congratulations Readers!

2011-08-18T14:14:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we held our wrap-up party to celebrate an overwhelmingly successful summer. Following an amazing concert with Bates and Tincknell, we announced our final total of reading hours. Together, the 273 kid who signed up logged 2,066 hours! The kids shouted, clapped and literally danced with glee when they found out they had reached their final goal: donating a sheep to Heifer International!

Way to go Watertown Kids!

Don't miss our last few events!!

2011-08-15T16:43:00.003-04:00

Summer reading is nearing the end here at the Watertown Free Public Library -- but it's not done yet!!

We're so close to meeting all of our reading goals! Remember to stop in tomorrow or before noon on Wednesday to log your hours and help us donate a sheep to Heifer International! And don't miss the fun programs coming up!

TOMORROW at 11:00 a.m. - Tempo Time!
Children ages 5 and under are invited to share in some music and movement!

Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. - Bates & Tincknell: Under One Sky
Elementary-aged kids (grades K-5) will enjoy stories and songs from around the world!

Wednesday, following the performance - WRAP UP PARTY!
We'll celebrate our accomplishments with cake and an announcement of the total number of hours we're read!

Questions? Call us at 617-972-6435.

Make sure your hours count!

2011-08-12T09:30:00.004-04:00

With less than a week left, we're getting so close to our final goal and donating a sheep to Heifer International! Be sure to stop in and log your hours at the library before noon on Wednesday, August 17 to have your hours count toward our goal.

We'll need time to total all of our hours before our big Wrap Up Party!! It'll follow a fantastic musical performance with Bates and Tincknell that starts at 1:30 p.m. on the 17th. So mark your calendars and come hear some music, eat some cake, and find out how many hours Watertown kids have read this summer!

New Guessing Jar Winner!

2011-08-09T16:35:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Aislin! She guessed closest to the correct amount of Meiji Hello Panda cookies that were in our Guessing Jar!

We're nearing the end of our weekly guessing jar contests, so be sure to stop in soon! This week you can guess how many Good and Fruity candies are in our jar.

We've Donate Tree Seedlings!

2011-08-04T09:30:00.003-04:00

Congratulations, Watertown! Together, we've read over 1000 hours so far this summer!! That means we've met our third goal, and we're donating tree seedlings to Heifer International!

To find out more about how tree seedlings help people in developing countries, visit the Heifer International website.

Keep reading everybody! And keep coming in to log your hours. We're getting closer and closer to the top of our thermometer, when we'll donate a sheep!

And the next winner is...

2011-08-03T20:39:00.003-04:00

Tyler! Tyler had the closest guess as to how many Swedish Fish were in our guessing jar! He got to choose a prize and took home a Batman Magnadoodle!

Don't forget to stop in this week to guess this week's guessing jar: Meiji panda cookies from Japan!

We're halfway through Summer Reading!

2011-07-27T16:39:00.009-04:00

The first half of our Summer Reading program here at the Watertown Free Public Library has been a great success! 266 readers have signed up and together we’ve logged 783 hours! We’ve already reached our first two reading goals, so we’ve been able to donate a flock of chicks and honeybees to Heifer International!

We’ve also been growing a garden that kids have helped us maintain. We’ve already harvested basil, spearmint, a pepper and, just recently, our very first tomato!

The summer has been full of wonderful programs! Here's a recap of a handful of them.

We started the summer with a Kick-Off program where kids signed up and got to make their own buttons!

Each week, kids have participated in grade-level book discussions in our Lunch Bunch program, always followed by delicious pizza donated by Regina Pizzeria.

Families have loved our weekly music programs, each Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. These programs are perfect for the 5 and under crowd. We’ve enjoyed Ed Morgan, Kids ‘N Harmony, and just look at the kids dancing with Debbie and Friends!

Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. we have programs for elementary aged children. Illusionist David Garrity dazzled us with Magic and Beyond. Kids learned about a wide variety of animals in our Animal World Experience program (pictured above), and even got to hold some of them. PuppeTree presented a fantastic rendition of the classic picture book Caps for Sale. And Keith Michael Johnson presented the fun and educational Wild about Weather.

Every Thursday, kids in grades 3-5 get a chance for some hands-on participation in Mad Science! So far they’ve learned about Electricity, Mad Messages, and Energy Burst! The Energy Burst program (pictured above) included learning about kinetic energy using catapults.

Fridays, kids in grades K-5 have a chance for some Unplugged fun! We started with a Super Hero Party (pictured above) where kids showed off their super powers playing “Pass the Cryptonite.” They’ve also created Candy Sculptures, and read to therapy dogs in our Dog B.O.N.E.S. program.

To see more photos of our amazing programs, check out our Facebook page! And be sure to check out our online calendar to find out what’s going on for the rest of the summer! There’s still tons of fun on the way!

Week 3 Guessing Jar Winner

2011-07-26T14:42:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to Christina, this week's Guessing Jar winner! Christina guessed that the jar contained 2,000 coffee beans, and it contained 1,803. She chose a Jenga set as her prize.

Don't miss your chance to guess! This week, the Guessing Jar contains Swedish Fish. How many do you think there are?

Buzz Buzz! We've donated honeybees!

2011-07-26T14:37:00.003-04:00

We've reached our second reading goal of the summer! We just passed 700 hours, which means we're donating honeybees through Heifer International! To find out more about how honeybees help struggling communities, visit Heifer International's website.

We're on our way to our next goal of donating tree seedlings if we read 1000 hours, so keep reading and keep coming to the library to log your hours!

Another Guessing Jar Winner!

2011-07-21T15:49:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to our second Guessing Jar winner, Matthew! He guessed closest to the correct number of Italian Glitterati candies in our jar. He won his choice of prizes and chose a giant ball, perfect for these sunny days!

Don't miss your chance at winning! Stop in at the library and try guessing the number of coffee beans (from South America) in this week's Guessing Jar.

We did it!

2011-07-18T15:45:00.003-04:00

Congratulations readers of Watertown! Together, we've read 353 hours! That means that we've reached our first reading goal, so we'll be able to donate a flock of chicks to Heifer International and help others around the world!

You can find out more about how donating a flock of chicks will help a struggling community by visiting Heifer International's website.

Keep reading everybody! We've still got three more goals to go! Remember to come into the library and log your hours, and don't forget about our great programs too!

Our First Guessing Jar Winner!

2011-07-15T15:53:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to Christopher, the first winner or our weekly guessing jar contest! He had the closest guess as to how many NECCO wafers were in our guessing jar (he guessed 90, and there were 83). He got to choose a prize and chose an Uno Spin game!

Would you like a chance to win? Each week we'll have a candy from a different country in our guessing jar. You can stop in and guess how many are in the jar every week until August 17.

Good luck!

Peep peep! We're close to donating some chicks!

2011-07-14T10:52:00.005-04:00

This summer we're keeping track of all the hours read by all the kids in Watertown! We're reading toward donating animals to Heifer International. And guess what? We're almost to our first goal!

We've already read 221 hours! We only have 79 hours to go before we can donate some adorable baby chicks. So keep reading everybody! And keep on visiting the library and recording your hours on your reading log!

Haven't signed up yet? Never fear, there's still time! Stop in anytime before August 17 to start keeping track on your own reading log, and you can help us reach our reading goals!

Music, Movies, Animals, Science and Candy!

2011-07-11T15:36:00.003-04:00

What do these five things have in common? They're all super-fun, and they'll all be here at the library THIS WEEK!

Music - Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.
Ed Morgan will be playing delightful tunes for the 5 and under crowd! No need to register.

Movies - Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
Come to the library for a family-friendly PJ Movie! Wear your pajamas and bring the whole gang! Call to find out what movie we'll be showing. No need to register.

Animals - Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
Animal World Experience will bring a bunch of exciting live critters to the library! This program is for elementary school children in grades K-5. No need to register.

Science - Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
Kids in grades 3-5 can sign up to learn all about Mad Messages! Call or stop in to register. Space is limited, so let us know soon if you'd like to come!

Candy - Friday at 11:00 a.m.
Who says you can't play with your food? Elementary school kids (grades K-5) will get to use their creativity and their sweet tooth to create some amazing sculptures! Participation is limited, so register today!

Want more info? Or curious about what's happening next week? Check out our online calendar of events, or give us a call!

TONS to do this summer!

2011-07-07T10:40:00.002-04:00

Our schedule is jam-packed with programs this summer! In fact, we have at least one program every single day that we're open throughout the entire Summer Reading program! Make sure to check out our online calendar of events to find out more about our programs. Remember to pay special attention to which programs require registration, as well as what ages the programs are aimed at. You can call 617-972-6435 or stop in to register starting two weeks before each program.

Mondays:
Baby Story Time - 10:00 a.m. (For pre-walkers with an adult - no need to register)
Lunch Bunch - 12:00 noon (Each week's for a different grade - make sure to register!)

Tuesdays:
Music Program - 11:00 a.m. (For ages 5 and under - no need to register)
PJ Movie - 6:00 p.m. (For all ages - no need to register)

Wednesdays:
Special Elementary Performances - 1:30 p.m. except 7/27, which is at 2:30 p.m. (For grades K-5 - no need to register)

Thursdays:
Gardening: 1:30 p.m. (For ages 3 and up with adult - no need to register)
Mad Science: 3:00 p.m. (For grades 3-5 - make sure to register!)

Fridays:
Fridays Unplugged: 11:00 a.m. (For grades K-5 except 7/29, which is grades 3-5 - most programs require registration)

Call us, stop in, or check our online calendar for more information!

Today's the Day!

2011-07-05T11:26:00.002-04:00

Today is officially the first day of Summer Reading here at the Watertown Free Public Library! Stop in for our special kick-off this afternoon, anytime from 1:00 to 3:00 pm to sign up and make your own button to wear home!

Can't make it in today? Never fear, you can sign up anytime we're open from now through August 17.

For more information, visit our website today!

Get Ready for Summer Reading!

2011-06-30T16:04:00.005-04:00

One World, Many Stories
July 5 to August 17

Yes, it's almost that time again! The summer's heating up, and on Tuesday, July 5, Summer Reading will officially begin. We'll start with a Kick-Off! Drop in anytime between 1:00 and 3:00 pm on Tuesday to sign up, and make your own awesome button to wear home. (You can also sign-up anytime throughout the summer.)

We'll keep a reading log here for you all summer, and you can stamp your log every time you visit the library. This year's incentive for readers is a charitable donation to Heifer International, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending world hunger while caring for the Earth. We'll keep track of all the hours we read together, and we'll read toward donating chickens, honeybees, trees and a sheep!

And don't forget all the programs! We'll have a program every day the library is open during these seven weeks! Check out our calendar to find out what programs are perfect for your child, as different programs are for different age groups.

Questions? Looking for more info? Visit our Summer Reading website for more details.

Coming Soon...

2011-01-05T14:18:00.002-05:00

Start 2011 by coming to some new library programs!

On Saturday, January 8 we have Dog B.O.N.E.S. - a program that lets children practice reading by reading to therapy dogs! Space is still available for independent readers in grades 1 to 5, but does require registration. Call us if you're interested!

On Monday, January 10 we have Cool Crafts time! This month kids in grades 4 and 5 are welcome to make paper bag fans! Again, space is still available, but does require registration. Sign up today!

Be sure to check out all of our programs here.

Dogs! At the library?

2010-12-04T09:28:00.002-05:00

On select Saturdays there are dogs in the Children's Room. They are part of the dogs building opportunities for nurturing and emotional support group based on the south shore. Dog B.O.N.E.S. - get it? So why are they here at the Watertown Free Public Library? For you of course! Reading out loud to a dog is a great way to practice reading in a low pressure environment. All of the dogs participating in this program are certified therapy dogs, which means they are very good and patient listeners.

There is still space for our next session on Saturday December 11 from 2:00pm to 3:40pm. Intereseted? Curious? Give us a call at 617-972-6431 with questions or to sign up. This program is for independent readers.

Book review on "Secrets of the Cirque Medrano" by Elaine Scott

2010-11-26T15:46:00.002-05:00

The book "Secrets of the Cirque Medrano" by Elaine Scott is fiction, but based on the painting "Family of Saltimbanques" by Pablo Picasso. The book is about 14 year old Brigitte, who, because of her mother's illness, moves from Poland to France to live with her Aunt and Uncle at their cafe. While she's working at the cafe, she meets many interesting people, including Pablo Picasso. She soon befriends a young circus performer, Paco and his sister. They are then thrown into an adventure.
The main characters are Brigitte, Aunt Dominique, Henri, Pablo, Paco, Pavlo and Anna Maria.
I enjoyed this book because of the characters. They seemed like real people that you might meet. The author did a great job in describing the characters for the reader. I enjoyed seeing what Paris was like in 1904 in this book.
My overall experience reading this book was great, although the ending was a bit disappointing to me. I would recommend this book to kids aged 9-16. Young kids may have a hard time reading it and it could be a bit frightening.
By Kirsten Aucoin

Toddler Craft!

2010-11-22T16:05:00.002-05:00

Tuesday, November 23, join us for Toddler Craft at 11:00am in the Children's Program Room. We are making hand turkeys! Once you display your turkey on the fridge, your entire kitchen will feel Thanksgiving festive! This program is for children ages 5 and under and does not require registration.

Children's Technology Workshop!

2010-11-08T14:16:00.002-05:00

Do you like movies? Have you ever thought about how movies are made? Then sign up for Animation Alive! A Stop Motion Animation Workshop on Wednesday, November 10 at 3:00pm! Participants will work in small groups to make their own movies! Participants will discuss the principles of storytelling, prop design, filming and editing before filming their own movie. Final movie files will be available to download and share with friends and family. This program is for children in grades 3 to 5 only and registration is required. Materials will be provided.

Interested? Call the Children's Department at 617-972-6431 to sign up now!

No School Day!

2010-11-01T15:00:00.002-04:00

Hey hey! There's no school tomorrow (Tuesday November 2)! The Children's Room is offering Story Time for children ages 3 to 5 at 11:00am in the Children's Program Room. Later, join us for Movie Matinee at 2:00pm! We will be screening Toy Story 3, rated G, with a running time of 103 minutes. Enjoy a new movie on the big screen with snacks! No registration.

Questions? Call and ask!

Save the Date!

2010-10-27T15:29:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow, Thursday October 28, the Children's Room has lots going on!
Join us at 11:00am for Baby & Movie - we are showing Date Night, rated PG-13, with a running time of 88 minutes in the Watertown Savings Bank Room. Baby & Me Movies are new release films for adults with young children. Dirty diapers welcome!

Later, join us at 6:00pm for our Halloween Spooktacular! Don your Halloween costume and head to the library for a spooktacular time! Hosted by the Teen and Children's Departments, kids in grades K-5 are welcome to stop in for grossology, oddities, hilarity, and Halloween fun. Be prepared for creepy snacks, spooky tales, dazzling face painting, creative crafts and more! This program will be held in the Watertown Savings Bank Room and does not require registration.

Questions? Contact the Children's Room at 617-972-6431.

October Programs!

2010-09-27T15:50:00.003-04:00

September is slipping away... but don't worry! We have lots of fun programs coming in October. Check them out here. You'll see a lot of familiar favorites, like story times and music programs, but some fun additions too!

Curious about Dog BONES? On My Own Story Time? Book Club? Check out the program descriptions or call and ask!

Read to Dogs!

2010-09-18T12:17:00.003-04:00

Dog B.O.N.E.S. Reading Partners: Saturday October 23 from 2:00- 4:00pm. Children’s Program Room.

Young readers are invited to spend 10-15 minutes reading to Christopher, a 3 year old chocolate American Retriever. Christopher and his owner, Laura, are a certified reading team. This program creates a supportive environment for early and struggling readers to practice their skills. Independent readers grades 1 to 5 are welcome. Registration required.

I Scream You Scream...

2010-08-19T16:33:00.004-04:00

We all scream for ICE CREAM!

We have reached the end of the Summer Reading Program. Congratulations to all of our readers for their hard work! Join the Children's staff tomorrow to celebrate with cake and ice cream. We'll reveal the winners of the raffle prizes too!

Festivities will begin Friday, August 20 at 2:30pm in the Watertown Savings Bank Room. Want to check in one more time? No problem! We will be accepting raffle tickets right until the end.

Confused? Questions? Just give us a call! 617-972-6431.

Movie Monday!

2010-08-16T10:37:00.002-04:00

Tonight come to the library to watch Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster! This movie is unrated with a running time of 74 minutes.
Enjoy family movie night without the price! Light snacks will be provided, so come and enjoy! Movie starts at 6:00pm in the Watertown Savings Bank Room.